I’ve given you pages and pages of information regarding how to establish a diet plan that will work for you. As the above 'Words of Wisdom' say, don't think of your weight loss journey as just a diet, always remember that this is a life style change. You understand that controlling your weight is now a top priority for and you also know that you will have to make many changes in addition to just your eating to be successful.
You are now mentally ready to begin the discovery of the new you by establishing your weight loss plan. There will be some days when everything works fine, you eat everything you should, you exercise and your thinking is pushing you forward.
There will also be days when nothing works, your eating is outside your plan, you didn't exercise and your thinking is not focused on success. This is going to happen no matter who you are so do not let a day like this derail your long term weight loss goals. Take the day for what it is, just one day in your life. A 'bad' day isn't the end of the world if you see it for what it is. At the end of the day tell yourself that you are going to get back on track as soon as you wake up and then get a good night's rest. Tomorrow is a new day filled with opportunities for success, contentment, and progress. When you are ready for the inevitable 'ups and downs'
of this journey you will be able to ride them out and stay on course.
I touched on this earlier, but here is a list of things you can do to make your weight loss journey successful.
Set realistic weight loss goals. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds, 30 pounds or 100 pounds, then go for it. It is very important to have specific and achievable weight loss goals. Make sure that you have your 'big' goal of the total number of pounds you are going to lose and make sure that you have smaller goals. Goals you reach in one week that will keep you moving forward and building momentum to achieve you next goal.
There will be some changes, some people may think of them as challenges that you will have to adjust to. Be willing to make these changes and meet these challenges. When you hit a 'roadblock' think of it in terms of helping you because as you overcome the roadblock you will be stronger, wiser, more determined, and closer to your goal. How you perceive and react to every situation you encounter on your weight loss journey will have an enormous effect on your success.
Sacrifices, there will be times when you will have to sacrifice something.
Maybe it is exercising instead of watching TV, or passing up your favorite dessert even though you have stuck to all your nutritional plans that day.
Whatever form the sacrifice takes be willing and ready to move past it. It is only a sacrifice if you think of your weight loss as less important than what has your attention at the moment.
Determine your body mass index and your ideal weight then determine how you will reach your ideal weight.
Determine you caloric intake to reach and maintain your ideal weight. Now you know how many calories you need each day to create your 500 calorie daily deficit.
Take a few minutes to think about and write down a typical day's meals and the number of calories you will consume in that day. Be honest because if you cheat you are only deceiving and hurting yourself.
Once you know how many calories you will consume on a typical day then plan out your exercise so you can burn up at least 250 calories each day.
You are now at the point where you can begin making adjustments to your meal plans and exercise to cut even more calories. You need to determine how you can reduce calories from your diet. It really is as straight forward as that. You can reduce calories by eating smaller portions, not having any dessert or pass on the chips or soda at lunch.
Now look at your exercise, where can you increase your activity level? Can you take a walk after work, spend 15 minutes more on the treadmill, or play with the kids for a few more minutes after dinner? Be creative and find as many ways as you can to increase your activity level.
Write your plan down and stick with it. In the beginning it will feel strange but soon it will feel completely natural. Attack your plan with unswerving dedication and enthusiasm. Don't get discouraged in the beginning; you are in this for the long haul.
In 30 days re-evaluate your plan, how is it working, what changes need to be made, how can you improve your meals and exercise? As soon as you begin to feel bored or your meals seem unsatisfying sit down and evaluate the plan. Believe in yourself and your ability to make the changes you need to make to reach your weight loss goals.
Above all else, stick with it. Never quit, never doubt yourself, set your goals, take responsibility for your nutrition and exercise, and take responsibility for your success.
You are already on your way to reaching your goals, close your eyes and see yourself one year from today. Now that you overcame all the obstacles, all the sacrifices, and all the exercise and there you stand having lost all that weight, how do you feel? You are already there just follow your vision and you will succeed.
You have embarked on a course that will change you forever.